USA > Georgia > Statistics of the state of Georgia : including an account of its natural, civil, and ecclesiastical history ; together with a particular description of each county, notices of the manners and customs of its aboriginal tribes, and a correct map of the state > Part 16
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Kenesaw Town, on Noonday creek, five miles northwest of Marietta.
Buffalo Fish Town, 16 miles southwest of Marietta.
ANTIQUITIES .- On Mud creek there are the remains of an ancient fortification, and on the Chattahoochee several small mounds.
NAME .- John Cobb emigrated from Virginia in 17-, and settled in Columbia county, where his son Thomas W. Cobb was born, in honour of whom this county was named. For some time he went to school to Dr. Waddel near Applington, and made considerable proficiency in the lan- guages. He afterwards studied law in the office of the
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192
COLUMBIA COUNTY.
Hon. Wm. H. Crawford, and settled in Lexington. In a short period he attained to a degree of eminence in his profession which probably has been seldom surpassed by any lawyer in Georgia. He was elected to Congress in 1816, and in 1823, and in 1824 was elected senator, which office he resigned in 1828, and became a judge of the Superior Court for the Oc- mulgee circuit. He died in 1830 at Greenesborough, where he had removed from Lexington. Mr. Cobb was deeply versed in the knowledge of the law, eloquent and argumentative. In his intercourse with men, he was sprightly and entertaining. He held religion in the highest veneration, and his house was open to the ministers of the gospel.
COLUMBIA.
BOUNDARIES, EXTENT .- This county has Wilkes and Lin- coln on the North, Savannah river on the Northeast, Rich- mond and Jefferson on the South, and Warren on the West. Laid out from Richmond in 1790. It is 25 miles long and 20 miles wide, containing 500 square miles.
POST OFFICES. - Appling, Berzelia, Culbreath, Darby's, Eubank's, Lombardy, Raysville, Republican, Thomson, White Oak, Wrightsborough.
POPULATION, TAXES, REPRESENTATION .- According to the census of 1845, the population was 3,888 whites, 7,382 blacks : total, 11,270. State tax for 1848, $5,197 and 70 cents. Sends two representatives to the Legislature.
RIVERS, CREEKS .- The Savannah river separates this county from South Carolina, and Little river from Wilkes and Lincoln. Keg, Lloyd, Uchee, Green Briar, Kiokee and Little Kiokee, empty into the Savannah. Upton and Sullivan's creeks discharge themselves into Little river. Sweet Water and Head Stall creeks in the southern part, are branches of Briar creek.
TowNS .- Appling is the seat of justice, situated on Great Kiokee, 82 miles E. N. E. of Milledgeville, 23 from Augusta, and 30 from Washington. It has a court-house, jail, academy,
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COLUMBIA COUNTY.
stores, &c. Population about 100. This place is upon the decline. Incorporated in 1826.
Wrightsborough is on Town creek, 16 miles from Appling. It was settled before the Revolution by a colony of Quakers, under the direction of Joseph Mattock, who had obtained for himself and followers a tract of land embracing 40,000 acres. It was named after Sir James Wright, formerly Governor of Georgia.
Raysville is on Little river, 10 miles from Appling.
RELIGIOUS SECTS, EDUCATION .- The Baptists and Metho- dists are the most numerous. Rev. Daniel Marshall, with other Baptist emigrants, settled on the Kiokee creek about 1770. Mr. Marshall immediately commenced preaching, and in a short time a church was constituted, the first Baptist church formed in Georgia. There are a few Presbyterians, Universalists, and Roman Catholics in the county. There is not as much interest taken in the schools of the county as formerly. . Common schools are in most of the settlements. Carmel academy, for some years under the supervision of the celebrated Dr. Waddel, was located about 2} miles from Ap- pling. J. C. Calhoun, W. H. Crawford, and T. W. Cobb were pupils in this academy.
MANUFACTURES, MILLS .-- One wool-carding establishment, three or four merchant mills, one steam saw-mill, nine saw- mills, and ten grist-mills.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY, NATURE OF THE SOIL, AVERAGE VA- LUE OF LAND .- The face of the country is broken. The lands formerly were very productive, but have been injured by im- prudent cultivation. The lands on the rivers and creeks are fertile, peculiarly adapted to corn and cotton. The lands bor- dering on Warren and Richmond are sandy. The average value of land is about $5 per acre.
PRODUCTIONS .- The chief productions are cotton and corn.
EARLY SETTLERS .- Rev. Mr. Marshall, Joel Cloud, Peter Crawford, Joseph Mattock, Thomas White, William Smith, Perry Wilson, John Appling, Nathan Jones, Jesse Bull, W. Marbary, and the Few, Gibson, Evans, Jennings, Ramsey, and other families.
CLIMATE, DISEASES, LONGEVITY .- The climate is mild. In
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COLUMBIA COUNTY.
some parts bilious fevers occur. Many instances of longevity have occurred. Mr. Henry Burnley was 80 when he died ; Wm. Marbary 93 ; Mr. Owens, Mr. Stanford, Mr. Smalley, Mr. Spalding, and many others, were over 80. Mr. David Hodge lived to a great age. At the age of 102 he married a lady of 40.
MINERALS .- A very rich gold mine is in the upper part of the county, near Little river, and has been operated upon to great advantage. Granite, sienite, talcose slate, felspar, smoky quartz, epidote, and hornblend. Porcelain clay is said to be abundant.
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE .- The people generally are well informed, and a large portion of them are wealthy.
ROADS, BRIDGES .- The roads cannot be said to be good. The bridges are fair.
MINERAL SPRINGS .- Russaw springs, near Raysville, im- pregnated with iron.
MARKET .- Augusta is the market.
MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS .- Mr. Gibson, who resides in this county, has in his possession a remarkable stone, which it is affirmed has the property of curing the bite of a snake or mad dog. The compiler of this work has been assured by more than fifty respectable gentlemen, some of whom have been eye-witnesses to experiments made with this stone, that when applied to the wound it extracts the poison. Many instances have occurred in which persons were relieved who had been severely bitten by poisonous snakes and mad dogs. It is not our business to speculate on this subject. We only state the fact, and remark that it is too well authenticated to admit of any doubt.
EMINENT MEN .- The Rev. Daniel Marshall, a zealous min- ister of the Baptist denomination, lived and died in this county. His grave is near the court-house in Appling. Columbia claims for her sons Col. Daniel Appling, Rev. I. A. Few, Hon. Peter Crawford, and many other eminent gentlemen, whose memo- ries will always live in the hearts of the people. Judge Wright and the Hon. George W. Crawford, the present Secretary of War, were born in this county.
NAME .- This county was named after Christopher Colum- bus, the discoverer of America, born in 1436 and died in 1506.
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COWETA COUNTY.
COWETA.
BOUNDARIES, EXTENT .- Laid out in 1826, and is bounded N. by Carroll and Campbell, E. by Fayette, S. by Troup and Meriwether, and W. by Carroll and Heard. Length 27 miles ; breadth 18. Area 486 square miles.
POST OFFICES. - Newnan, Bexar, Palmetto, Haralson, Kedron, Location, Lodi, Rio, Paris, Willow Grove.
POPULATION, TAXES, REPRESENTATION,-In 1845 the popu- lation of this county was 7,211 whites, 3,706 blacks; total, 10,917. Amount of State tax returned for 1848, $3,836 02. Entitled to two representatives.
RIVERS, CREEKS .- Chattahoochee river ; Cedar, Wahoo, Sandy, Morgan, White Oak, Dead Oak, Keg and Little creeks.
TOWNS .- Newnan, the seat of justice, is situated about the centre of the county, one hundred and twenty-six miles N. W. Milledgeville, thirty miles from La Grange, forty from Atlanta, twenty-five from Campbellton, twenty-five from Car- rollton, from Franklin twenty, and from Griffin thirty-five. It was incorporated and made the county site in 1828. The public buildings are a brick court house, which cost from eight to nine thousand dollars ; jail ; male and female academies ; a Methodist and Presbyterian church. There are seven or eight dry good stores, three taverns, twelve lawyers and three doc- tors. The town has good sidewalks, and is well shaded. The citizens have taken much interest in the temperance effort. More than $80,000 worth of goods sold per annum.
MILLS .- One wool carding mill, one steam saw-mill, six saw-mills, twelve grist-mills.
MARKETS .- Atlanta and Griffin.
ROADS AND BRIDGES .-- The roads and bridges are not in good order.
RELIGIOUS SECTS, EDUCATION .- The religious sects are Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Lutherans. The most numerous are the two first named. Considerable attention is paid to the subject of education. Schools exist in most of the settlements. Among the most prominent of the institutions are the Rock Spring Academy, and Longstreet Institute. In Newnan they have good schools.
196
COWETA COUNTY.
CLIMATE, LONGEVITY .- The climate does not vary much from that of other counties surrounding it. "Compared with the whole climate of Georgia, it may be termed medium, par- ticipating largely of the advantages of the northern counties in growing grain, and of the southern in growing cotton." William Smith, John Neely, and Mr. Gray are the oldest per- sons in the county ; all over 90 years of age.
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE .- The people of this section are remarkable for sobriety and hospitality.
MINERALS .-- Gold exists in some parts of the county. Some mines have been worked, but not to much advantage.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY, NATURE OF THE SOIL .- The coun- ty is situated between the Chattahoochee river and Line creek. The soil is a loam, varied, however, into what are termed light and heavy, or what are called gray and red land, being more or less sandy, and generally fertile. There are strips and patches of pine land, interspersed throughout the county, which are valuable for furnishing lumber. The main body of the county, however, is oak and hickory. There is scarcely any land which is not capable of being successfully cultivated. The dividing ridge between the Chattahoochee river on the west, and Line creek on the east, passes through the centre of the county from northeast to southwest. This ridge varies but little in altitude from that of Atlanta, to which place it ex- tends. The land on it is generally very fertile, a fact not often connected with land of the same elevation.
PRODUCTIONS, AVERAGE PRODUCT PER ACRE .- Cotton, corn, wheat, rye, potatoes, &c. The produce of cotton is from 400 to 800 pounds per acre. Corn from four to six barrels per acre.
MINERAL SPRINGS .- There are mineral springs six miles southeast of Newnan, with several varieties of water, sul- phur, chalybeate and limestone, and have proved efficacious in many cases.
EARLY SETTLERS .- Col. Dickson, Mr. Henry R. Robinson, William M. Stokes, Bird Parks, J. M. Thomas, and A. J. Berry.
NAME .- This county received its name in 1826, to perpet- uate the memory of General William McIntosh, a half-blood Creek, and head chief of the Coweta Towns. He was a daring
197
CRAWFORD COUNTY.
soldier, and a useful ally during the late war with the British, who had excited many of the Creeks against us. McIntosh, with some other chiefs, signed the treaty at the Indian Springs, by which the lands between the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers were ceded. After this he was shot in his own house, by sev- eral of the Indians unfriendly to the treaty, and his body con- . sumed with his dwelling.
McIntosh was between 50 and 60 when killed. He left five wives and several children, most of whom had received a pretty good English education .*
CRAWFORD.
BOUNDARIES, EXTENT .-- This county is bounded north by Monroe, east by Bibb, south by Houstoun and Macon, and west by Talbot and a part of Upson. Laid out in 1822, and a part added to Upson in 1824. Length 17 miles, breadth 17 miles. Square miles 289.
RIVERS, CREEKS .- The Flint river is the only stream of any magnitude. The smaller streams are the Ulcohachee, Spring, Walnut, Sweet Water and Deep creeks.
POPULATION, TAXES, REPRESENTATION .- The population by the census of 1840, was 8493. Of these 4626 were whites, and 3867 blacks. Amount of State tax for 1848, $2,977. Sends one representative to the Legislature of the State.
POST OFFICES .- Knoxville, Francisville, Hammock Grove, Hickory Grove, Hopewell, and New Agency.
TOWNS .- Knoxville, near the centre of the county, is the seat of justice. Distant from Milledgeville 52 miles, 25 from Macon, 12 from Culloden, and 6 from the Old Agency .- It has a court house, two hotels, four stores, two churches, Methodist and Baptist, and one academy. Population about 250. Made the county site in 1823, and incorporated in 1825.
Hopewell, six miles northeast of Knoxville, has a church, tavern, physician, &c.
* Sherwood's Gazetteer.
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CRAWFORD COUNTY.
Francisville, six miles west of Knoxville.
Hickory Grove, twelve miles northwest of Knoxville.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY, NATURE OF THE SOIL .- The sur- face is uneven. The northern part is tolerably productive ; of a dark gray soil adapted to cotton. The bottom lands are ex- ceedingly fertile, but liable to inundations. In the southern part the land is poor, having a growth of pine.
ROADS AND BRIDGES .- The roads are in fair order, and the bridges are said to be in a good condition.
RELIGIOUS SECTS, EDUCATION .-- Methodist, Baptists, and Presbyterians. Education is neglected. At Hopewell there is a good school.
PRODUCTIONS, MARKET .-- Corn, cotton, wheat, rye, &c. About 2000 bags of cotton made last year. Macon is the market.
MILLS .- Four saw-mills and two merchant-mills.
REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS .- Phillip Mathews, aged 88 years ; Jason Meador, 81; James Bailey, 80; Joel Ethridge, 77; Thomas Turner, 89; Daniel Hartley, 97; Lewis Good- win, 74; Jacob Fudge, 82 ;
CLIMATE, DISEASES, LONGEVITY .- The climate is pleas- ant. The diseases are fevers, chills, &c. The instances of longevity are the following :-- Mrs. Nancy Kates is now living, about 90 years of age. There is a negro woman also living in this county 125 years old.
DISTINGUISHED MEN .-- It was in this county that Colonel Benjamin Hawkins died. This event took place June 6, 1816. He was one of the revolutionary patriots, than whom none was more devoted to his country. At an advanced age, and with a constitution greatly impaired, he continued to discharge with zeal the important and perplexing duties of Indian Agent, as well as Commissioner for making treaties. With a philan- thropy worthy of all praise, he had relinquished the enjoy- ments of polished society, in which he shone conspicuously, with the sanguine hope of civilizing the Indians. Partial as was his success in effecting this purpose, no other man could have done as much towards it. As a man of science he oc- cupied an elevated rank. He was appointed by Thomas Jef- ferson, Agent for Indian Affairs. He is buried at the Old .
199
CRAWFORD COUNTY.
Agency, on the Flint river. Col. Hawkins left a number of manuscripts, containing valuable information in regard to the Indian country, &c.
NAME .- Among the names of Georgia's great men, that of the Hon. William Harris Crawford, after whom this county is called, should be placed in the first rank. His history shows how much may be done by study, industry, and honesty. He was born in Amherst county, Virginia, on the 24th of February, 1772. The part of the county in which Mr. Crawford was born, is said to have been famous for large men. A Mr. Spencer lived there, who had the reputation of being the largest man in the world. Mr. Crawford's family were from Scotland. His father came from Virginia in 1779, and settled in Edge- field District, South Carolina, and in 1783 he removed to Co- lumbia county, Georgia, where he died five years afterwards. W. H. Crawford was a lad during the Revolution, and was raised with the hardihood of those scuffling times. After the death of his father, Mr. Crawford, in order to aid in the sup- port of his mother's family, devoted himself to the business of instruction, for several years, until Dr. Moses Waddel opened a classical school in Columbia county ; when feeling the im- portance of a knowledge of the languages, he resolved to avail himself of this excellent opportunity of obtaining an acquaint- ance with the classics, and accordingly became a student in Dr. Waddel's academy, where his progress was so great, that he was soon employed as an assistant. After remaining in this academy two years, he came to Augusta, and formed a connection with Charles, afterwards Judge Tait, in the management of the Richmond Academy. In 1799 he removed to Lexington, and commenced the practice of the law ; and it was not long be- fore his talents and great attention to business placed him at the head of his profession. When Mr. Crawford first com- menced practice, the upper counties of Georgia were monopo- lized by a clique engaged in legislative speculations. Efforts were made to secure his co-operation in these iniquitous pro- ceedings, but with no success. For four years he represented Oglethorpe county in the Legislature of Georgia. In 1806 he was elected to the United States Senate, and in 1811 re-elect- ed without opposition. In this body he occupied a pre-eminent
200
DECATUR COUNTY.
station ; and upon many important and exciting questions, evinced a judgment unsurpassed by that of any member of the Senate. In 1813, President Madison offered him the appoint- , ment of Secretary of War, which he declined. He was then sent Minister to Paris, where he remained two years, during which time he not only showed himself to be a fearless advo- cate of his country's rights, but gained the favour of Parisian society by his open manners and instructive conversation. When he returned to the United States he was appointed to the War Department, but in which he served only for a brief period. In October following, he was appointed Secretary of the Treasury, and continued to discharge the duties of this important office until 1825, with an ability which men of all parties acknowledged. In 1825 he received a flattering vote for the office of President of the United States. In 1827, upon the death of Judge Dooly, Mr. Crawford was appointed judge of the Northern Circuit, which office he held until his death, which occurred in Elbert county, Sept. 15, 1834, aged 62 years. His remains lie at Woodlawn, his seat in Ogle- thorpe county.
DECATUR.
BOUNDARIES, EXTENT .- Bounded N. by Early and Baker, E. by Thomas, S. by Florida, and W. by the Chattahoochee river. It is thirty-six miles long and twenty-five wide, con- taining nine hundred square miles.
RIVERS AND CREEKS. - The Flint river runs diagonally through the county, and the Chattahoochee forms the western boundary. Spring creek is a considerable body of water, emptying into the Flint. Musquitoe, Willocoochee, Little Attapulgus, Martin's, Horse, Turkey, Wolf and Sayers are the other streams.
POST OFFICES .- Bainbridge, Cairo, Olive Grove, Attapul- gus.
POPULATION, TAXES, REPRESENTATION .- In 1845, the popu-
201
DECATUR COUNTY.
lation was 3,491 whites, 2,896 blacks; total, 6,387. Amount of State tax for 1848, $2,476 19. Sends one representative to the Legislature.
EARLY SETTLERS .- The Brutons, Maples, Neals, Harralls, Hardins and Martins.
TOWNS .- Bainbridge is the capital, situated on the east side of the Flint river, one hundred and ninety miles from Mil- ledgeville, forty miles S. of Blakely, twenty-four N. of Quin- cey, twenty-six from the junction of the Chattahoochee and Flint, forty W. of Thomasville, and 43 N. W. of Tallahassee. It contains the usual county buildings, two churches, two hotels, an academy, four or five stores, &c. Population, 200.
Fort Scott is ten miles below Bainbridge, on the W. side of the Flint river.
RELIGIOUS SECTS, EDUCATION .- The most numerous reli- gious sects are the Baptists and Methodists, Education is better attended to than formerly, although schools are much wanted.
MARKETS .- Bainbridge is the market. Cotton is shipped to Appalachicola.
CLIMATE, DISEASES, LONGEVITY .- The climate is tempe- rate and pleasant. The county is not subject to any particu- lar disease, although fevers prevail on the water-courses. The principal instances of longevity are Mr. Green Mitchell, now living, over eighty; Mr. Joel Dassie, now living, between eighty-five and ninety.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY, NATURE OF THE SOIL .- A few years since, Dr. Cotting made an examination of this county, and from his report we extract the following information : " The northern part of the county, except a small tract for the distance of twenty miles immediately upon the river, is pine-barren, with occasional small circular patches denomi- nated ' sinks.' The land, except for a year or two after clear- ing, is unproductive. It has a sub-soil of coarse ferruginous sand and clay. With the exception of a tract of land on the E. bank of the Flint river, owned by Mrs. Williams, and some small strips of alluvium and hemlock, there is not much good land near the river N. of Bainbridge. In the N. E. extremity there are excellent tracts of land containing lime and well pro-
202
DECATUR COUNTY.
portioned with sand, clay, and vegetable matter. On Richland creek, in the S. E. corner of the county, on the Ochockonee river, between the great and little Attapulgus rivers, and in several other places, excellent lands may be found.
" The Fowl Town tract of land is said to be the best east of the Flint river.
" Between the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers is a pine- barren, with some fertile spots, which are better calculated for the growth of cotton than corn, the soil being siliceous. Taken as a whole, it is an excellent county, equal in my opinion to the celebrated Burke lands in their pristine fertility. More corn and cotton can be raised in some parts of Decatur than on the best lands in Burke; and so far from its being 'a low, sunken frog-pond,' as has been represented, it is a dry, healthy county, much higher above the ocean than Burke." The productions are cotton, corn, sugar cane, &c. On the rich lands cotton will yield from 800 to 1,000 pounds per acre. About 4,000 bales of cotton are annually produced.
CAVES .- There are some caves in this county, among which the Blowing Cave is the most celebrated; but it is not in our power to gratify our readers with a description of it.
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE, AMUSEMENTS .- The people are hospitable and industrious. Hunting is the favourite amuse- ment.
TIMBER, TREES .-- The forests furnish a great variety of the finest timber, such as the pine, cypress, various kinds of oaks, &c. The magnolia and laurel grow to great perfection.
NAME .- This section of the State received its name in honour of Stephen Decatur, who was born the 5th of January, 1779, in Maryland, where his parents had retired while the British were in possession of the city of Philadelphia. When he was only a few months old, his parents came back to Phila- delphia. In 1798 he entered the navy as a midshipman, under the command of Commodore Barry. In 1801 he served as first lieutenant of the Essex, one of Commodore Dale's squad- ron to the Mediterranean. Some time after this, he was ap- pointed to the command of the brig Argus, and proceeded to join the squadron of Commodore Preble, then lying before Tripoli. It was here that after some difficulty he obtained his
-
203
DECATUR COUNTY.
commodore's permission to engage in a very dangerous enter- prise, which was, either to re-capture or destroy the frigate Philadelphia as she lay in the harbour. He accomplished his design without the loss of a single man. For this gallant action, Congress voted him their thanks and a sword, and pro- moted him to the rank of Post Captain. In the following spring he had the command of a division of vessels destined for an attack upon Tripoli. On this occasion, he displayed a bravery unsurpassed in the annals of warfare. In the engage- ment, a Turk had killed his brother, Lieutenant James Decatur. Upon learning this, he determined to avenge his death, and singled out the commander of the Turkish boats. The Turk was armed with an espontoon, Decatur with a cutlass. In attempting to cut off the head of the weapon, his sword struck on the iron, and broke close to the hilt. The Turk at this moment made a push, which slightly wounded Decatur. He im- mediately seized the spear. A fierce struggle ensued, and both fell. By this time the Turk had drawn a dagger from his belt, and was ahout to plunge it into the body of his foe, when Decatur caught him by his arm, and shot him with a pistol which he had taken from his pocket. When Commodore Pre- ble retired from the command of the squadron, Decatur took the command of the Constitution. From this ship he was re- moved to the Congress, and peace being made with Tripoli, he returned to the United States. The war of 1812 gave Decatur frequent opportunities of displaying his gallantry. On the 25th of October, 1812, he captured the Macedonian, one of the best ships in the English navy. The whole country resounded with his name, and every city vied with each other in doing him honour. After the war with England had ended, a squadron under his command was despatched to Algiers, to demand satisfaction for many injuries committed upon the commerce of the United States. He arrived before Algiers, June 22, 1815, and in a very laconic manner demanded a treaty. With some reluctance, the Dey consented to one item of the pro- posed treaty, which was the relinquishment of all annual tri- bute or ransom for prisoners. "Even a little powder," the negotiator said, " would answer." "If," replied Decatur, "you insist upon receiving powder as tribute, you must expect to
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